This invention relates to a small, wireless transmitter which contains important, personal information, such as the user""s name, address, current medications, allergies, contact information or the like. When the user gets into trouble or becomes incapacitated, the transmitter could be used to send a signal to emergency response personnel. In this manner, emergency response personnel could respond to the distress signal and assist the user.
Prior to the present invention, as set forth in general terms above and more specifically below, it is known in emergency signaling devices to employ remote transmitters. Exemplary of such prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,525 (""525) to K. Toyota et al., entitled xe2x80x9cDistress Call Emitting Device.xe2x80x9d While the ""525 reference employs a remote transmitter which is used to sense earthquakes and allow emergency response personnel to locate the user if the user is trapped under debris caused by earthquake, a more advantageous transmitter, then, would be presented if the transmitter could also supply personal information about the user.
It is also known in emergency signaling devices to provide information about the emergency. Exemplary of such prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,607 (""607) to C.T. Przygoda, Jr. et al., entitled xe2x80x9cProgrammable Monitoring System and Method.xe2x80x9d While the ""607 reference teaches a monitoring system in which information about the nature of the emergency, such as fire, medical, low transmitter battery or the like can be transmitted, this information must be transmitted to a central monitoring system. Consequently, a further advantageous transmitter, then, would be presented if the transmitter could be used anywhere.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a transmitter which is lightweight and portable through simplicity of parts and uniqueness of structure, and which is capable of a sending an emergency distress signal, but which at the same time can be used anywhere and provide vital, personal information about the user to the emergency response personnel. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
Generally speaking, this invention fulfills these needs by providing an emergency distress response method, comprising the steps of: downloading of personal information by a user into a transmitter; encountering a distress situation by said user; transmitting a signal by said transmitter; interacting with said transmitter by emergency personnel; downloading a first portion of said personal information by said emergency personnel; determining if said first portion of personal information is adequate; and downloading, if necessary, a second portion of said personal information.
In certain preferred embodiments, the first portion of the personal information may be, but is not limited to, the first name of the user and the city, state, and country where the user resides. Also, the second portion of the personal information can be, but is not limited to, more vital, personal information of the user, such as the user""s full name, home address, contact person(s), medical condition, current medications, allergies, preferred medical provider, physician, social security number, home telephone number or anything that may possibly be needed by the emergency response personnel in case the user becomes distressed or incapacitated. Also, the personal information is downloaded into the transmitter through the use of a conventional information inputting device, such as a personal computer. Finally, the method also includes the step of determining if the user is from out-of-state.
In another preferred embodiment, the transmitter allows the emergency response personnel to interact with the user in order to obtain varying degrees of personal information about the user without having to move the user, if the user is incapacitated.
The preferred transmitter, according to this invention, offers the following advantages: lightness in weight; excellent distress signaling characteristics; excellent personal information storage characteristics; excellent personal information retrieval characteristics; portability; good durability; good stability; excellent economy; and ease-of-use. In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these factors of distress signaling characteristics, personal information storage characteristics, personal information retrieval characteristics, portability, economy, and ease-of-use are optimized to an extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known transmitters.
The above and other features of the present invention, which will become more apparent as description proceeds, are best understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters represent like parts throughout the several views and in which: